Watch Breakup Artist

The 2004 romantic comedy Breakup Artist stars Joseph Lyle Taylor as Jim, a man who specializes in breaking up couples for a living. He believes that he is doing a good deed, as he sees himself as liberating people from relationships that make them unhappy. However, his world is turned upside down when he is hired by a woman named Marie (Paula Devicq) to break up with her fiancé (Ron Mongeluzzo). As Jim gets to know Marie, he finds himself falling in love with her, but he knows that he cannot pursue her without betraying his own principles.

The movie opens with Jim breaking up with a couple in a coffee shop. He goes through the motions, assuages the woman's guilt, and makes it clear that the breakup is for the best. As he leaves, he sees another man do the same thing and thinks to himself that the guy is doing it all wrong. Shortly thereafter, we meet Jim's friend and business partner, Mike (Gerrit Graham), who introduces him to Marie. Marie is the guarded, attractive, and intelligent sister of Mike's girlfriend and is engaged to a man named Paul (Ron Mongeluzzo). Mike, who knows about Jim's occupation, persuades him to break up the engagement, and Jim reluctantly agrees.

Jim goes to work on Marie's fiancé, employing his usual tactics of psychological manipulation and cruel honesty. However, he quickly realizes that Paul is not the usual run-of-the-mill client that he is used to dealing with. For one thing, Paul knows about Jim's reputation and is not easily intimidated. For another thing, Paul seems genuinely in love with Marie and is willing to do whatever it takes to keep her. Jim finds himself unexpectedly taken by Paul's sincerity and the two men strike up a friendship of sorts.

Jim's feelings for Marie have already begun to stir, and they grow deeper as he spends more time with her. He is torn between his loyalty to Mike and his attraction to Marie, as well as his own moral qualms about his profession. Meanwhile, Paul becomes increasingly paranoid and desperate, hiring a private detective to tail Jim and Marie, convinced that they are having an affair.

The movie explores various themes, including the meaning of true love, the ethics of breaking up relationships, and the perils of deception. Jim is a complex character, at once cynical and hopeful, cruel and compassionate. His inner conflict is palpable, as is his growing affection for Marie, which leads to a number of comic and poignant moments. The supporting characters, including Mike and Paul, are all well-drawn and add depth to the story. The script, written by Vincent Sassone, is sharp and insightful, and the direction by Steve Woo is assured and visually engaging.

The performances are uniformly excellent. Joseph Lyle Taylor, best known for his work on TV's Justified, is superb as Jim, bringing a charmingly roguish quality to the character. Paula Devicq, best known for her role on TV's Party of Five, is radiant as Marie, capturing both her vulnerability and her strength. Ron Mongeluzzo is also terrific as Paul, making the character sympathetic and likable despite his flaws.

The film's pacing is tight, and the editing keeps the story moving along briskly. The cinematography, by James Laxton, is beautiful, with a warm, sunny palette that accentuates the film's romanticism. The music, by Richard Martinez, is also notable, evoking a wistful, nostalgic mood that complements the story's bittersweet tone.

Overall, Breakup Artist is an intelligent, witty, and poignant romantic comedy that explores the complexities of love and relationships with both depth and humor. It is a film that will appeal to anyone who has ever been in love, been heartbroken, or simply enjoyed a good romantic comedy.

Breakup Artist is a 2004 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 26 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.7.